'Zoo World' maker wants to start Chinese social game revolution on Facebook

Here at Games.com -- The Blog! we're obsessed with FarmVille, Mafia Wars and the rest of the big-name social games, but like everyone else, we can't wait to find (and play) the next big thing on the horizon. That's why the news that the makers of Zoo World, RockYou!, plans to import China-based social games sounds so darn compelling, in theory at least. So far, the company has licensed CafeJoy's 'Casino World' (not clear if this is the same as 'My Casino,' currently on Facebook) and says there are other deals in the works.

House Buying: China's next big social gaming export?

Then again, a quick review of China's most popular social games gives us pause. The big games in China don't seem that much different than what we've already been grinding on for the past 12 months or so. In fact, many of them are straight up clones of our favorite games. Farming sim game, Happy Farm leads the pack in China, as well as a Restaurant City clone RenRen Restaurant. Then there's the lost in translation Slave Manor, which is a copy of Friends for Sale! on Facebook. Some of the more unique games include House Buying from Kaixin 001, which combines farming, parking and real estate simulation games, and Building One, a Sims-like game where players have virtual houses, jobs and socialize in a towering highrise.

Not sure if a game about buying houses or living in highrises will really take off in the US market, but we're still holding out hope that RockYou! has their crosshairs locked onto a few that aren't copycats of games we've already been playing for months. Lips are sealed on other titles under consideration, but keep your eyes peeled for the China social gaming invasion on Facebook in the not-so-distant future.